Heir to the Underworld
by J.B.Dennis
Summary: Fourteen young mortals find themselves the unexpected heirs to the powers of the ancient Greek gods. Benjamin Darke, the new god of the dead, soon discovers that being a god isn't as easy as one might expect. This is the prologue to my book that was just published. Please take a look and see if you find it interesting.


This is just the prologue to my book which has just been published. If you are interested in reading more, there will be a link to the amazon page at the bottom of the page.

Prologue

Zeus, King of the gods, lord of Olympus, and god of the skies, sat upon his heavenly throne and brooded over all of creation. For countless millennia he had ruled over the heavens above and the mortal world below. But now times have changed, and the god of thunder and lightning has grown bored of his reign. The time of the gods had passed, but, bound by duty, Zeus, once the greatest of kings and lord of the heavens, was now reduced to nothing more than a glorified weatherman. Bolts of lightning flashed through the night sky as Zeus glared down at the world below him. Rising from his throne, Zeus paced about, the clouds around him darkening as his temper grew. Thoughts of massive storms and disastrous tornadoes raced through his mind. Visions of deadly blizzards and catastrophic hurricanes danced before his eyes. But he knew that it was all for not. Gone were the days when he could visit divine retribution upon those who displeased him. Gone were the days when his name commanded fear and awe. Gone were the days when he was the most powerful being in all of creation. Now he was but a legend: a myth to be told about in storybooks. Jaxom Price 6 More bolts of lightning flashed through the sky. A strong wind whirled about him, carrying with it the roaring sound of rolling thunder. With a howl of rage, he unleashed a storm upon the mortal world below. He watched as his tempest grew, covering the landscape in a blanket of torrential rain. Bolts of lightning screamed through the air, splitting trees with reckless abandon. A massive cyclone of turbulent air laid waste to what was once a tranquil field, ripping up plants and mounds of earth as it tore through the countryside. And yet, as Zeus watched his savage squall unfolding before his eyes, he felt nothing. No great swell of pride at his work. No sense of vengeance against those who had wronged him. No feeling of righteousness as he expressed his will upon the world of man. It was all hollow and empty. That's all his actions were. Hollow and empty. There was no recognition to be had for his work. Sure, some would say it was God's work, but he wasn't the god they were referring to. Zeus let out another howl of fury. "You seemed troubled, my lord," said a soft, quiet voice. A figure, dressed all in white, appeared next to Zeus' throne, their face covered by a hood. "I am not troubled," replied Zeus in a voice like rolling thunder. "I am frustrated! What is the point of being the King of the gods if there is no one to worship me? The mortals have forgotten us. They pray to false saviors and naked idols while we endure eternity, keeping their precious world from crumbling. WE ARE GODS! We could wipe them from the Earth if we so chose. And yet we serve them. They should be the ones serving us! After all, it was by our grace that they were created in the first place!" "Is that all being a god is to you, my lord, the adoration of mortals?" "What other reason is there for their existence? It is why they were given life in the first place: to worship at our feet while we rule on high. And now, it is they who rule while we bend to their whims." Heir to the Underworld 7 "But, my lord, it is still you who controls the winds and the rains and the storms. It is still you who ordains the will of the gods. It is still you who rules over all of creation. How can you say that mortals rule when it is you with all the power?" "What is the point of power if no one knows you have it? I may rule over the storms and the gods, but what does that matter? I'm but a myth to these mortals, a legend from a bygone era of no more significance than a drop of water in a vast ocean. To dictate what is true and what is false, that is real power. As long as the mortals see me as not but a figment of their imaginations, I am their servant." "Perhaps it is time for a change, my lord. If you are unhappy with the current situation, perhaps you should do something about it." "Had I the option to wipe man from existence I would have done so ages ago. But I am duty-bound to protect the people of this world. Had I not sworn a divine oath all would be different now, but, alas, I gave my word. If they destroy themselves, all the better, but I cannot be the one to end them. My storms may take a life, here and there, perhaps, but I cannot cause their complete extinction." "Have you considered a different approach than death and destruction, my lord?" "What other approach is there when dealing with man?" "I would not presume to suggest anything to you, my lord. You are the great ruler of the gods, and I am just your lowly and humble servant. But if there is a way for you to resolve this matter to your satisfaction, I have every confidence that you, mighty Zeus, will be able to come up with it." Silence fell as Zeus looked down upon the world below him. After a time, Zeus spoke again. Jaxom Price 8 "What a blessing it must be to be an ignorant mortal," he mused. "Look at them. They live their lives unconcernedly, with no care toward any matters of importance. What care they of the great powers that govern the world, so long as the sun comes up in the morning? What care they of the toil involved in managing the seasons, so long as they have pretty flowers to look at and vegetables enough to eat? I almost envy the freedom their stupidity allows them." "My lord, are you saying you wish to join the mortals? To live among them?" Zeus snorted with laughter. "No. I have no interest in living with mortals. They are petulant creatures, lacking in dignity and understanding, full of woe and misery. And yet, their lack of responsibilities, real responsibilities, is a pleasant prospect to consider. They know nothing of true duty. When all is said and done what are jobs and mortgages when compared to the burdens of commanding the forces of the universe? They are not but the foolish concerns of closeminded children." "Could you not give up your responsibilities, my lord? You are the King of the gods; anything should be within your power." "You are just as stupid as the mortals. You contradict yourself without even knowing it. As you just said, I am the King. How would I go about giving up my power? What mechanism is there for me to do so? None. There exists no precedent for a King of the gods to give up his authority. Were I a mortal king perhaps I would have the option to abdicate, but no. I am the King of the gods, and I will be as such for all of eternity." "But why can you not abdicate, my lord? Why can you not find someone else to take on your divinity and give you the freedom you so crave?" "As I already said, no King of the gods has ever abdicated his throne before." "Begging your pardon, my lord, but no King of the gods has ever had the option to do so. First, your grandfather Heir to the Underworld 9 Ouranos was cast down by your father Cronus, and then you yourself cast down Cronus. Of all the Kings of the gods that have ever existed, you have not faced any attempted insurrections." "And what am I to do if I give up my godhood? Languish in Tartarus with my tyrannical father? Become a hermit and wander the world?" "I believe that the point is that you could do anything you wished, my lord. You would have true freedom. Freedom to live any life you choose. Freedom to be anyone you wanted. Freedom to go anywhere you desired. Freedom to do anything you pleased." "And the other gods would simply sit by and let this happen? They would just allow me to give up my powers to another. Can you imagine the power struggle that would ensue from such a decision? Each and every god would be vying to be my replacement. It would start another divine war." "You are the King of the gods, my lord, the greatest and most powerful being in existence. Your word is law. Were you to decree that any such individual was to be your successor, I'm sure your fellow gods would not dare to countermand you." "There is truth in that," said Zeus with a self-satisfied smile. "Besides, my lord, from what I understand you are not the only one who is feeling underappreciated." "What do you mean?" "Merely that some of your fellow Olympians have expressed disappointment with the current state of affairs, my lord." "Which ones?" "The Ladies Hera, Demeter, and Athena, and the Lords Poseidon, Apollo, and Ares, my lord." "Over half of the Olympians wish for a change," Zeus muttered to himself as he paced about in contemplation. "Perhaps there is something to this Jaxom Price 10 abdication idea of mine. After all, if mere mortals can do it, why not I?" Zeus strode back to his throne and sat down upon it; his mind abuzz with possibilities. The sky around him went from dark to light to dark again and still, Zeus sat in deep contemplation. Finally, as light began to shine through the clouds once more, Zeus spoke. "Call for Hermes. I have a message for him to deliver to my fellow gods. We have much to discuss."

To find out what happens next, please purchase my book at the following link. Also, feel free to ask me any questions you might have.

dp/1947381202


End file.
